the King's Majesty, our Soveraign Lord that now is, by the Advice and Consent of us, the Lord Protector and others Executors to our said late Soveraign Lord, whose Names be under-written; to whom with others, the Government of his most Royal Person, and the Order of his Affairs, is by his last Will and Testament committed, till he shall be of full Age of eighteen Years, to cause new Commissions again to be made for the conservation of his Peace throughout this Realm, whereof you shall by this Bearer receive one for that County. And for that the good and diligent execution of the Charge committed to you and others by the same, shall be a notable Surety to the King, our Soveraign Lord's Person that now is, to whom God give increase of Vertue, Honour, and many Years, a most certain Stay to the Common-Wealth, which must needs prosper where Justice hath place and reigneth; we shall desire you, and in his Majesty's Name charge and com. mand you, upon the receit hereof, with all diligence, to assemble your selves together; and calling unto you all such others as be named in the said. Commission, you shall first cry and call to God to give you Grace to execute this Charge committed unto you with all truth and uprightness, according to your Oaths, which you shall endeavour your selves to do in all things appertaining to your Office accordingly in such sort as all private Malice, Sloth, Negligence, Displeasure, Disdain, Corruption, and sinister Affections set apart, it may appear you have God, and the preservation of your Soveraign Lord and natural Country before your Eyes; and that you forget not that by the same, your Selves, your Wives, and your Children, shall surely prosper and be also preserved. For the better doing whereof, you shall at this your first Assembly, make a division of your selves into Hundreds or Wapentakes; that is to say, Two at the least to have especial eye and regard to the good Rule and Order of that, or those Hundreds, to see the Peace duly kept, to see Vagabonds and Perturbers of the Peace punished, and that every Man apply himself to do as his Calling doth require; and in all things to keep good Order, without alteration, innovation, or contempt of any thing that by the Laws of our late Soveraign Lord is prescribed and set forth unto us, for the better' direction and framing of our selves towards God and honest Policy. And if any Person, or Persons, whom ye shall think you cannot Rule and Order, without trouble to this Country, shall presume to do the contrary, upon your Information to us thereof, we shall so aid and assist you in the execution of Justice, and the punishment of all such `contemp tuous Offenders, as the same shall be example to others. And further, his Majesty's Pleasure, by the Advice and Consent aforesaid is, That you shall take such Orders amongst you, as you fail not once every six weeks, till you shall be otherwise commanded, to write unto the said Lord Protector, and others of the Privy-Council, in what state that Shire standeth; and whether any notable things have happened, or were like to happen, in those Parts that you cannot redress, which would be speedily met withal and looked unto; or whether you shall need any advice or counsel, to the intent we may put our hands to the stay and reformation of it in the beginning, as appertains: Praying you also to take order, That every Commissioner in the Shire may have a Double, or a Copy of this Letter, both for his own better Instruction, and to shew to the Gentlemen, and such others as inhabit in the Hundreds specially appointed to them, that every Man may the better conform himself to do Truth, and help to the advancement of Justice, according to their most bounden Duties, and as they will answer for the contrary. Thus fare you well. From the Tower of London, the 12th of February. T. Cantuarien. J. Russell. Your loving Friends, W. St. John. Tho. Wriothesley, Cancel. Cuth. Duresme. The Order for the Coronation of King Edward. (Ex Libro Concilii.) THIS day the Lord Protector, and others his Executors, whose Names be hereunto subscribed, upon mature and deep deliberation had among them, did finally resolve, That forasmuch as divers of the old Observances and Ceremonies afore-times used at the Coronations of the Kings of this Realm, were by them thought meet, for sundry respects, to be corrected; and namely, for the tedious length of the same, which should weary and be hurtsome peradventure to the King's Majesty, being yet of tender Age, fully to endure and bide out. And also for that many Points of the same were such as by the Laws of the Realm at this present were not allowable. The King's Majesty's Coronation should be done and celebrated upon ShroveSunday next ensuing, in the Cathedral Church of Westminster, after the Form and Order ensuing. First; The Arch-Bishop of Canterbury shall shew the King to the People at four parts of the great Pulpit or Stage to be made for the King, and shall say on this wise; -Sirs, Here I present King Edward rightful and undoubted Inheritor, by the Laws of God and Man, to the Royal Dignity and Crown Imperial of this Realm, whose Consecration, Inunction, and Coronation, is appointed by all the Nobles and Peers of this Land to be this day. Will ye serve at this time, and give your good-wills and assents to the same Consecration, Inunction, and Coronation, as by your Duty of Allegiance ye be bound to do? The People to Answer, Yea, Yea, Yea; King Edward, King Edward, King Edward. This done, the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, being revested as he should go to Mass, with the Bishops of London and Winchester on both sides, with other Bishops and the Dean of Westminster in the Bishop's absence, to go in order before the King; the King shall be brought from his Seat by them that assisted him to the Church to the high Altar, where after his Prayer made to God for his Grace, he shall offer a Pall and a pound of Gold, 24 pound in Coin, which shall be to him delivered by the Lord Great Chamberlain. Then shall the King fall groveling before the Altar, and over him the Arch-Bishop shall say this Collect, Deus humilium, &c. Then the King shall rise and go to his Chair, to be prepared before the Altar, his Face to the Altar, and standing, one shall hold him a Book; and the Arch-Bishop standing before the King, shall ask him, with a loud and distinct Voice, in Manner and Form following. Will ye grant to keep to the People of England, and others your Realms and Dominions, the Law and Liberties 'of this Realm, and others your Realms and Dominions? I grant and promit. You shall keep, to your strength and power, to the Church of God, and to all the People, holy Peace and Concord. I shall keep. You shall make to be done, after your Strength and Power, equal and rightful Justice in all your Dooms and Judgments, with Mercy and Truth. I shall do. Do you grant to make no Laws, but such as shall be to the Honour and Glory of God, and to the Good of the Common-Wealth; and that the same shall be made by the consent of your People, as hath been accustomed. I grant and promit. Then shall the King rise out of his Chair, and by them that before assisted him be led to the High Altar, where he shall make a solemn Oath upon the Sacrament, laid upon the said Altar, in the sight of all the People, to observe the Premisses; and laying his Hand again on the Book, shall say; The things which I have before promised, I shall observe and keep. So God help me, and those Holy Evangelists by Me bodily touched upon this Holy Altar. That done, the King shall fall again groveling before the High Altar, and the said Arch-Bishop kneeling before him, shall, with a loud Voice, begin Veni Creator Spiritus, &c. Which done, the said Arch-Bishop standing, shall say over the King, Te invocamus; and at the end shall kneel again, and then shall the King rise and be set in the Chair again; and after a little pause he shall rise, and, assisted with those that did before that Office, go again to the High Altar, where he shall be uncloathed by his Great Chamberlain unto his Coat of Crimson Satin; which, and also his Shirt, shall be opened before and behind on the Shoulders, and the bowght of the Arms, by the said Great Chamberlain, to the intent that on those Places he be anointed; and whiles he is in the anointing, Sir Anthony Denny, and Sir William Herbert, must hold a Pall over him. And first, the said Arch-Bishop shall anoint the King, kneeling, in the Palms of his Hands, saying these Words, Ungas Manus; with this Collect, Respice Omnipotens Deus. After he shall anoint him in the Brest, in the midst of his Back, on his two Boughts of his Arms, and on his head making a Cross; and after making another Cross on his Head, with Holy Chrism, saying as he anointeth the places aforesaid, Ungatur Caput, ungantur scapula, &c. During which time of Unction, the Quire shall continually sing, Ungebunt Regem, and the Psalm, Domine in virtute tua lætabitur Ret. And it is to be remembred, that the Bishop or Dean of Westminster, after the King's Inunction, shall dry all the Places of his Body, where he was anointed, with Cotton, or some Linnen Cloth, which is to be burnt. And furthermore the places opened for the same, is to be cloathed by the Lord Great Chamberlain; and on the King's Hands shall be put, by the said Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, a pair of Linnen Gloves, which the Lord Great Chamberlain shall before see prepared. This done, the King shall rise, and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury shall put on the King a Tabert of Tanteronwhite, shaped in manner of a Dalmatick; and he shall put up on the King's Head a Quoif, the same to be brought by the Great Chamberlain. Then the King shall take the Sword he was girt withal, and offer it himself to God, laying it on the Altar, in token that his Strength and Power should first come from God. And the same Sword he shall take again from the Altar, and deliver to some great Earl, to be redeemed of the Bishop or Dean of Westminster for 100s. which Sword shall be borne naked afterwards before the King. Then the King being set in his Chair before the Altar, shall be crowned with St. Edward's Crown; and there shall be brought, by the Bishop or Dean of Westminster, Royal Sandals and Spurs, to be presently put on by the Lord Great Chamberlain; and the Spurs again immediately taken off, that they do not encumber him. Then the Arch-Bishop, with all the Peers and Nobles, shall convey the King, sustained as before, again into the Pulpit, setting him in his Siege Royal; and then shall the Arch-Bishop begin, Te Deum Laudamus; which done, the Arch-Bishop shall say unto the King, Sta et retine a modo locum. And the King being thus set, all the Peers of the Realm, and Bishops, holding up their Hands, shall make unto him Homage as followeth; first, the Lord Protector alone, then the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and the Lord Chancellor, so two and two as they be placed. IN. become your Liege Man, of Life and Limb, and of earthly Worship, and Faith, and Truth, I shall bear unto you, against all manner of Folks, as I am bound by my Allegiance, and by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm. So help us God and Allhallowes. And then every one shall kiss the King's left Cheek; which done, all they holding up their hands together, in token of their Fidelity, shall with one Voice on their Knees say. We offer to sustain and defend you and your Crown, with our Lives, and Lands, and Goods, against all the World. And then with one Voice to cry, God save King Edward; which the People shall cry ac |